Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Role of the Playing Surface in Mitigating the Deleterious Effects of Head Impacts in Field Sports

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Concussions in Athletics

Abstract

It has been known for some time that the incidence rates of sports-related musculoskeletal injuries, especially those of the lower extremities, can be influenced by the type of playing surface, but only recently has it been postulated that the surface may have a role in the incidence of head injuries. Unfortunately, the current standards for athletic surfaces do not incorporate our present understanding of head impact thresholds and exposure limits. Consequently, herein we assess the existing standards for the design of playing surfaces, especially in the context of impact attenuation, and examine the utility of combining biomechanical modeling and sensitivity analysis to guide the design and regulation of next generation playing surface installations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Bryan MA, Rowhani-Rahbar A, Comstock RD, Rivara F. Sports-and recreation-related concussions in US youth. Pediatrics. 2016;138:e20154635.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Baldwin GT, Breiding MJ, Dawn Comstock R. Epidemiology of sports concussion in the United States. In: Handbook of clinical neurology; 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63954-7.00007-0.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  3. Clifton DR, Hertel J, Onate JA, Currie DW, Pierpoint LA, Wasserman EB, Knowles SB, Dompier TP, Comstock RD, Marshall SW, Kerr ZY. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school girls’ basketball (2005–2006 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s basketball (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2018;53:1037–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Clifton DR, Onate JA, Hertel J, Pierpoint LA, Currie DW, Wasserman EB, Knowles SB, Dompier TP, Marshall SW, Dawn Comstock R, Kerr ZY. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school boys’ basketball (2005–2006 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2018;53:1025–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. DiStefano LJ, Dann CL, Chang CJ, Putukian M, Pierpoint LA, Currie DW, Knowles SB, Wasserman EB, Dompier TP, Dawn Comstock R, Marshall SW, Kerr ZY. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school girls’ soccer (2005–2006 through 2013–2014) and national collegiate athletic association women’s soccer (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2018;53:880–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Kerr ZY, Dawn Comstock R, Dompier TP, Marshall SW. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance (2004–2005 through 2013–2014): methods of the National Collegiate Athletic Association injury surveillance program and high school reporting information online. J Athl Train. 2018;53:729–37.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Kerr ZY, Gregory AJ, Wosmek J, Pierpoint LA, Currie DW, Knowles SB, Wasserman EB, Dompier TP, Dawn Comstock R, Marshall SW. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in us high school girls’ volleyball (2005–2006 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s volleyball (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2018;53:926–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Kerr ZY, Putukian M, Chang CJ, DiStefano LJ, Currie DW, Pierpoint LA, Knowles SB, Wasserman EB, Dompier TP, Dawn Comstock R, Marshall SW. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school boys’ soccer (2005–2006 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s soccer (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2018;53:893–905.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Kerr ZY, Wilkerson GB, Caswell SV, Currie DW, Pierpoint LA, Wasserman EB, Knowles SB, Dompier TP, Dawn Comstock R, Marshall SW. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in United States high school football (2005–2006 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association football (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2018;53:738–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Kroshus E, Utter AC, Pierpoint LA, Currie DW, Knowles SB, Wasserman EB, Dompier TP, Marshall SW, Dawn Comstock R, Kerr ZY. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school boys’ wrestling (2005–2006 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s wrestling (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2018;53:1143–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Lynall RC, Gardner EC, Paolucci J, Currie DW, Knowles SB, Pierpoint LA, Wasserman EB, Dompier TP, Dawn Comstock R, Marshall SW, Kerr ZY. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school girls’ field hockey (2008–2009 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s field hockey (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2018;53:938–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Lynall RC, Mihalik JP, Pierpoint LA, Currie DW, Knowles SB, Wasserman EB, Dompier TP, Comstock RD, Marshall SW, Kerr ZY. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school boys’ ice hockey (2008–2009 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s and women’s ice hockey (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2018;53:1129–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Pierpoint LA, Caswell SV, Walker N, Lincoln AE, Currie DW, Knowles SB, Wasserman EB, Dompier TP, Dawn Comstock R, Marshall SW, Kerr ZY. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school girls’ lacrosse (2008–2009 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s lacrosse (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2019;54:42–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Pierpoint LA, Lincoln AE, Walker N, Caswell SV, Currie DW, Knowles SB, Wasserman EB, Dompier TP, Comstock RD, Marshall SW, Kerr ZY. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school boys’ lacrosse (2008–2009 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s lacrosse (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2019;54:30–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Wasserman EB, Register-Mihalik JK, Sauers EL, Currie DW, Pierpoint LA, Knowles SB, Dompier TP, Dawn Comstock R, Marshall SW, Kerr ZY. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school girls’ softball (2005–2006 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s softball (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2019;54:212–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Wasserman EB, Sauers EL, Register-Mihalik JK, Pierpoint LA, Currie DW, Knowles SB, Dompier TP, Comstock RD, Marshall SW, Kerr ZY. The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school boys’ baseball (2005–2006 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s baseball (2004–2005 through 2013–2014). J Athl Train. 2019;54:198–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. FIFA. FIFA quality programme for football turf: handbook of test methods. 2015. At: https://football-technology.fifa.com/media/1238/fqp-handbook-of-test-methods-v27.pdf

  18. FIFA. FIFA quality programme for futsal surfaces handbook of test methods and requirements. 2019.

    Google Scholar 

  19. CEN. CEN 1177: impact attenuating playground surfacing – methods of test for determination of impact attenuation. 2017.

    Google Scholar 

  20. CEN. CEN 16717: surface for sports areas – method of test for the determination of shock absorption, vertical deformation and energy restitution using the advanced artificial athlete. 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Gurdjian ES, Webster JE, Lissner HR. The mechanism of skull fracture. Radiology. 1950;54:313–39.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Gurdjian ES, Webster JE, Lissner HR. Observations on prediction of fracture site in head injury. Radiology. 1953;60:226–35.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Gurdjian ES, Lissner HR, Evans FG, Patrick LM, Hardy WG. Intracranial pressure and acceleration accompanying head impacts in human cadavers. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1961;113:185–90.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Gurdjian ES, Hodgson VR, Hardy WG, Patrick LM, Lissner HR. Evaluation of the protective characteristics of helmets in sports. J Trauma Inj Infect Crit Care. 1964;4:309–24.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Lissner HR, Lebow M, Gaynor Evans F. Experimental studies on the relation between acceleration and intercranial pressure changes in man. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1960;111:329–38.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Svaldi DO, Joshi C, McCuen EC, Music JP, Hannemann R, Leverenz LJ, Nauman EA, Talavage TM. Accumulation of high magnitude acceleration events predicts cerebrovascular reactivity changes in female high school soccer athletes. Brain Imaging Behav. 2018;14:164–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Boruah S, Henderson K, Subit D, Salzar RS, Shender BS, Paskoff G. Response of human skull bone to dynamic compressive loading. Proc IRCOBI Conf. 2013;13:497.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Bari S, Svaldi DO, Jang I, Shenk TE, Poole VN, Lee T, Dydak U, Rispoli JV, Nauman EA, Talavage TM. Dependence on subconcussive impacts of brain metabolism in collision sport athletes: an MR spectroscopic study. Brain Imaging Behav. 2019;13:735–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Patrick LM, Lissner HR, Gurdjian ES. Sruvival by design – head protection. In: Proceedings: American Association for Automotive Medicine annual conference, vol. 7. Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine; 1963. p. 483–99.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Budson A, McKee AC, Cantu RC, Stern RA. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Boston: Elsevier; 2017. 198 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Gadd C. Criteria for injury. Washington, DC; 1961.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Gadd C. Use of a weighted-impulse criterion for estimating injury hazard. SAE Technical Paper. 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Versace J. A review of the severity index. 1971. https://doi.org/10.4271/710881.

  34. McElhaney J. Head injury criteria. Polym Mech. 1976;12:411–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Greenwald R, Gwin J, Chu J, Crisco J. Head impact severity measures for evaluating mild traumatic brain injury risk exposure. Neurosurgery. 2008;62:798.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Zhang L, Yang KH, King AI. A proposed injury threshold for mild traumatic brain injury (Author Abstract). J Biomech Eng. 2004;126:226–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Brennan JH, Mitra B, Synnot A, McKenzie J, Willmott C, McIntosh A, Maller J, Rosenfeld J. Accelerometers for the assessment of concussion in male athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2017;47:469–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Broglio SP, Schnebel B, Sosnoff JJ, Shin S, Feng X, He X, Zimmerman J. Biomechanical properties of concussions in high school football. Med Sci Sport Exerc. 2010;42:2064–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Beckwith JG, Greenwald RM, Chu JJ, Crisco JJ, Rowson S, Duma SM, Broglio SP, Mcallister TW, Guskiewicz KM, Mihalik JP, Anderson S, Schnebel B, Brolinson PG, Collins MW. Head impact exposure sustained by football players on days of diagnosed concussion. Med Sci Sport Exerc. 2012;45:737–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Schnebel B, Gwin JT, Anderson S, Gatlin R. In vivo study of head impacts in football: a comparison of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I versus high school impacts. Neurosurgery. 2007;60:490–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Jang I, Chun IY, Brosch JR, Bari S, Zou Y, Cummiskey BR, Lee TA, Lycke RJ, Poole VN, Shenk TE, Svaldi DO, Tamer GG, Dydak U, Leverenz LJ, Nauman EA, Talavage TM. Every hit matters: white matter diffusivity changes in high school football athletes are correlated with repetitive head acceleration event exposure. NeuroImage Clin. 2019;24:101930.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment. Standard test method and equipment used in evaluating the performance characteristics of headgear/equipment – NOCSAE DOC (ND) 001-17m17b. 2017.

    Google Scholar 

  43. National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment. Standard performance specification for newly manufactured football helmets – NOCSAE DOC (ND) 002-17m19a. 2019.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Reynolds H. The inertial properties of the body and its segments. 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Swartz EE, Floyd RT, Cendoma M. Cervical spine functional anatomy and the biomechanics of injury due to compressive loading.(literature review) (Brief Article). J Athl Train. 2005;40:155–61.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  46. Johnson KL. Contact mechanics. London: Cambridge University Press; 1985.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  47. Peterson J, Dechow PC. Material properties of the human cranial vault and zygoma. Anat Rec. 2003;274A:785–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Guisasola I, James I, Llewellyn C, Stiles V, Dixon S. Quasi-static mechanical behaviour of soils used for natural turf sports surfaces and stud force prediction. Sports Eng. 2010;12:97–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Cole D, Forrester S, Fleming P. Mechanical characterization and numerical modelling of rubber Shockpads in 3G artificial turf. PRO. 2018;2:1–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Lacko D, Huysmans T, Parizel PM, De Bruyne G, Verwulgen S, Van Hulle MM, Sijbers J. Evaluation of an anthropometric shape model of the human scalp. Appl Ergon. 2015;48:70–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2014.11.008. Epub 2014 Dec 6. PMID: 25683533.

  51. Santschi W, Dubois J, Omoto C. Moments of inertia and centers of gravity of the living human body. Los Angeles; 1963.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Center for Health Statistics N. Vital Health Stat Ser. 2012;11(252):2007.

    Google Scholar 

  53. Dempster W. Space requirements of the seated operator. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base; 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  54. Plagenhoef S, Gaynor Evans F, Abdelnour T. Anatomical data for analyzing human motion. Res Q Exerc Sport. 1983;54:169–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Yoganandan N, Pintar FA, Zhang J, Baisden JL. Physical properties of the human head: mass, center of gravity and moment of inertia. J Biomech. 2009;42:1177–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Cannavó F. Sensitivity analysis for volcanic source modeling quality assessment and model selection. Comput Geosci. 2009;44:52–9.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Sobol I. Sensitivity estimates for nonlinear mathematical model. Math Model Comput Exp. 1993;1:407–14.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Breana Cappuccilli & Eric A. Nauman

  2. Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Nicolas Leiva-Molano & Eric A. Nauman

  3. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Thomas M. Talavage

  4. Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Eric A. Nauman

Authors
  1. Breana Cappuccilli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nicolas Leiva-Molano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Thomas M. Talavage
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Eric A. Nauman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eric A. Nauman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Kinesiology and Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Semyon M. Slobounov

  2. Department of Orthopedics, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA

    Wayne J. Sebastianelli

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Cappuccilli, B., Leiva-Molano, N., Talavage, T.M., Nauman, E.A. (2021). The Role of the Playing Surface in Mitigating the Deleterious Effects of Head Impacts in Field Sports. In: Slobounov, S.M., Sebastianelli, W.J. (eds) Concussions in Athletics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75564-5_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75564-5_7

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-75563-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-75564-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation